In pics: Solar Impulse 2 takes off from Egypt on final leg of world tour | World News - Hindustan Times
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In pics: Solar Impulse 2 takes off from Egypt on final leg of world tour

ByReuters, Cairo
Jul 24, 2016 10:49 AM IST

Solar Impulse 2, a solar-powered single-seat plane, took off from Cairo in darkness en route to Abu Dhabi, its final destination, with a flight expected to take between 48 and 72 hours.

Solar Impulse 2, a solar-powered aircraft took off from Egypt on Sunday on its last leg of the first ever conventional-fuel-free flight around the globe.

In this July 13, 2016, handout image, the Solar Impulse 2 flies over the pyramids of Egypt as it landed in Cairo.(AP file photo)
In this July 13, 2016, handout image, the Solar Impulse 2 flies over the pyramids of Egypt as it landed in Cairo.(AP file photo)

The spindly single-seat plane, took off from Cairo in darkness en route to Abu Dhabi, its final destination, with a flight expected to take between 48 and 72 hours.

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The Solar-powered Solar Impulse 2 aircraft prepares to take off from the Cairo International Airport on Sunday. (AFP)
The Solar-powered Solar Impulse 2 aircraft prepares to take off from the Cairo International Airport on Sunday. (AFP)

The plane, which began its journey in Abu Dhabi in March 2015, has been piloted in turns by Swiss aviators Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard in a campaign to build support for clean energy technologies.

Pilot Bertrand Piccard talks to media before taking off (AFP)
Pilot Bertrand Piccard talks to media before taking off (AFP)

“The round the world flight ends in Abu Dhabi, but not the project,” Piccard told Reuters a few days before takeoff.

Solar Impulse flies without a drop of fuel, its four engines powered solely by energy collected from more than 17,000 solar cells in its wings. It relies on solar energy collected during the day and stored in batteries for electrical energy to fly at night.

Technicians inspect the Solar-powered Solar Impulse 2 aircraft at the Cairo International Airport. (AFP)
Technicians inspect the Solar-powered Solar Impulse 2 aircraft at the Cairo International Airport. (AFP)

The carbon fibre plane, with a wingspan exceeding that of a Boeing 747 and the weight of a family car can climb to about 8,500 metres (28,000 feet) and cruise at 55-100 kph (34-62 mph).

(AFP)
(AFP)

“The project is a big promotion of clean technologies around the world and the legacy of Solar Impulse is the created international community,” Piccard said.

The Solar-powered Solar Impulse 2 aircraft takes off from the Cairo International Airport in the Egyptian capital on Sunday, as it heads to Abu Dhabi on the final leg of its world tour. (AFP)
The Solar-powered Solar Impulse 2 aircraft takes off from the Cairo International Airport in the Egyptian capital on Sunday, as it heads to Abu Dhabi on the final leg of its world tour. (AFP)

Last week, the solar-powered aircraft landed in Egypt for on its penultimate stop. The flight’s takeoff from Egypt to the United Arab Emirates was delayed due to a heatwave in Saudi Arabia.

“I started to dream about this project 17 years ago in 1999 when I finished my hot-air balloon landing in Egypt, so 17 years later I take off where the balloon landed,” Piccard said.

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